29th March to 4th April 2015
On the 28th of March 2015, I was transported to the airport at 6.30pm. Our flight was at 10.30 pm and the journey lasted for seven hours. I was too excited to sleep a wink that I only managed to catch one hour of nap. Eventually, we arrived at Tokyo International Airport (better known as Narita International Airport) and caught the 8.10am airport limousine bus to our hotel. It was long before we arrived at our hotel, the Prince Park Tower Tokyo at 10.30am. Check-in time was only at 2.00pm, so we whiled our time away by visiting the nearby Zojoji Temple. At the entrance stood a line of cherry blossom trees which took my breath away. I felt so fortunate to have the opportunity to marvel the cherry blossoms, as the news said that the cherry blossoms arrived five days earlier this year. Hidden by the petals of the cherry blossom trees is a statue of the Goddess Of Mercy (known as Guan Ying in Chinese). |
| Zojoji Temple and Tokyo Tower |
Zojoji Temple is a Buddhist temple founded in 1393. Six out of the fifteen Tokugawa shoguns are buried at Zojoji Temple. A part of the garden is crammed with statues of young children dressed in colourful clothes to represent unborn children. While in Zojoji Temple, I managed to take a picture of ancient Japan (the Zojoji Temple) and modern Japan (the Tokyo Tower). After that, we went for an early lunch at the World Trade Centre which is only a ten-minute walk from our hotel. After checking into the hotel, we were so exhausted our bones would have grown thin and cracked if our vitality had not been recovered by rest and naps.
The following morning, we woke up with jest and a smiley face after a good night’s sleep. On that rather cheerful morning, we took the hotel shuttle bus to Daimon Station. From Daimon Station, we took the Toei Subway Asakusa Line to Asakusa Station. First, we visited the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Centre to get some information and to go up to the 8th floor to get a bird’s eye view of the area. Next, we walked to Kaminarimon Gate to enter the Nakamise-Dori Street which served as the gateway to the Sensoji Temple. Along the Nakamise-Dori Street which was cramped with tourists, we saw a long line of little shops selling local snacks and souvenirs. The Sensoji Temple is one of the most visited landmarks in Tokyo and the oldest temple in Tokyo. Beside the temple was a five storey pagoda.
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| Sensoji Temple and Five Storey Pagoda |
After taking a stroll and lunch in the Asakusa area, we took the Ginza Line to Ueno Station. We could see a huge crowd climbing up the stairs to the Ueno-onshi Park (known as Shinobazunoike in Japanese). The weather was brilliant, in fact a bit too warm for me. Most of the crowd was popping in for a picnic under the breath-of-fresh-air shade of the picture-pretty cherry blossom trees. We took plenty of pictures of cherry blossoms trees with petals of different colours from white to red.
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| Cherry Blossom Trees in Ueno Park |
I also took a photo of a bronze statue of the shogun Saigo Takamori. Ueno Park is well known for its large array of museums and cherry blossom trees. Unfortunately, we were unable to visit any of the museums because they were closed on Monday. According to the Tokyo Guide book, Ueno Park has more than 1,000 cherry blossom trees. I shouldn’t be surprised since the park is huge. Shortly after, we strolled to Ameyoko, a street full of shops selling mainly fresh and dried seafood. It was crowded with tourists as well as local people who come here to get their supply of fruits, vegetables and seafood. We bought a pack of green tea mochi from a corner shop selling little Japanese snacks.
On the third day, we left the hotel at 6.30am to Hamamatsucho Station to take a train to Tokyo Station. From Tokyo Station, we took the JR Keiyo Line to Maihama Station, where Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo Sea are located. It was only 7.30am when we arrived at Disneyland but the gate opened at 8am. However, we were stuck in an unimaginably large crowd queuing to get into Disneyland. The sensation of being sandwiched and pulped in such a large crowd was comparable to being stuck in a tiny cubicle between two large rocks with little room to move about. Obviously fresh air supply was low, so I was left reaching for oxygen and taking lungful whenever I had the chance. When the gate opened, the crowd charged in like a bull charging at its Spanish matador. They rushed to the eight most popular rides to get a Fast-Pass ticket in order to avoid long queues at those rides. We managed to get our first Fast-Pass tickets for Monsters Inc. Ride & Go Seek but we could only use the ticket between 1.50pm and 2.50pm. So, we rushed to queue for Star Tours: The Adventure Continues. We waited for 45 minutes but it was worth the waiting. I enjoyed the thrilling ride but it was sadly too short, the ride lasted only four and a half minutes.
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| Tokyo Disneyland |
Next was my dad’s wish to try the Space Mountain ride but unfortunately, we were told that the waiting time was three hours. Unbelievable! I actually felt quite relieved as the ride is some sort of a roller coaster, and I have a phobia of roller coaster ride ever since my first experience in Legoland Malaysia. Instead, we went to the ride that I had been looking forward to - It’s A Small World. There was also a long queue but not as long as three hours. During the ride, we sat on a boat and sailed around the world while being greeted by little children dressed in their country’s traditional costumes. The song was melodic and all the little children were prettily dressed up, performing whatever their culture represents. I felt like I was in Fantasyland. After that, we wanted to get a Fast-pass ticket for Pooh’s Hunny Hunt. To my disappointment, all the Fast-pass tickets were gone and the normal queue’s duration was a terribly long three hours. Hence, we quickly dashed to get a Fast-pass for Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. Fortunately, we were able to snap up the tickets for a ride at between 5.50pm and 6.50pm. It must be school holidays during our visit to Disneyland because everywhere we go, it was so crowded including the restaurants and restrooms. After lunch, we queued for Peter Pan’s Flight. We waited for more than one hour but the ride lasted only two and a half minutes. In the ride, we sat in a ‘galleon’ and flew out of Wendy’s bedroom window through the night skies and into Never-Land, where we spotted Captain Hook and Peter Pan fighting with each other. After that ride, we were supposed to go to the Monsters Inc. ride but sadly we were told that there were some technical problems. We then went to Haunted Mansion to get a Fast-pass but again, all Fast-pass tickets were snapped up. The only way was to join the dramatically long queue. Whilst queuing, we watched the Daytime Parade: Happiness Is Here. Mickey Mouse and all his Disney characters appeared in colourful attire and greeted the crowds from their floats with wheels. Most floats appeared to be lavishly large and the characters waved to the crowds who cheered and jeered with excitement at the favourite characters. The wait under the blazing sun for Haunted Mansion was unbearable, and we finally gave up after one hour of queuing. We tried our luck at the Jungle Cruise ride. After waiting for almost two hours, we boarded a boat with a skipper who spoke in Japanese. She took us down the river and we saw lots of man-made animals found around the savannahs of Africa and in the rivers. After Jungle Cruise, we returned to Monsters Inc. Ride & Go Seek. They had fixed the technical problems and we were allowed to use our Fast-pass tickets for the ride. Even with the Fast-pass we still had to wait for more than half an hour. During the ride, we used a flashlight to shine on the helmets with Monsters' Inc. logo to reveal the hiding place of the monster. It was quite fun and now I know why this is the most popular ride in Tokyo Disneyland. We were also fortunate to be able to use our Fast-pass tickets for Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters. This again was a shooting-style ride. We used the astro blasters to target and hit the robots and secret weapons as they launch attacks against us on this ride. Sadly, the ride only lasted four minutes. After a quick dinner, we decided to try one more ride before calling it a day. Our choice was the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Even though the queue was long, we waited patiently because it was interesting to look at the decorations. The boat ride brought us back in time to the days when pirates ruled the Caribbean. I was pirates’ treasures, pirates in jail and burning town scene. Just before the end of the ride, we were greeted by Captain Jack Sparrow. After this ride, we were too exhausted and left Disneyland at 7.30pm. My memory of Disneyland was rushing for rides and queuing for everything. Honestly, I prefer nature than theme parks.
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| Cherry Blossoms Tree in Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden |
The next day, we took the hotel shuttle bus to Hamamatsucho Station. From Hamamatsucho, we took the JR Yamamote Line to Shinjuku Station. From the station’s New South Exit, we strolled to the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden. We got lost for the reason that there was completely no sight of the garden. Then, we saw three foreign tourists who appeared to be looking for the direction to the garden. We followed them and finally saw the entrance of the garden. The moment we stepped into the garden ground, the view was breathtaking that I simply couldn’t unglue my eyes from the cherry blossoms. The spectacular scenery of cherry blossoms attracted large crowds here to relax and take a leisurely stroll. I still can’t believe that there is such a magnificent garden located right in the centre of Shinjuku with tall and modern buildings. In spring, this garden is one of Tokyo's most popular and pleasant hanami (cherry blossom) spots. We took lots of photos of cherry blossoms with varied colours. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is so big that it has three different types of gardens - a traditional Japanese landscape garden, French garden and English garden. To me, this is one of the best urban parks in the world. The relaxing and tranquil environment is a perfect escape from the busy city. Just before we left the garden, there were a lot of office workers who brought their lunches here for a short picnic.
After lunch, we wanted to go to the Meiji Shrine and the National Metropolitan Government Building to marvel the view of Tokyo but my mum was feeling a little unwell (could be due to the long hour of standing and walking at Disneyland). So, we went to the Odakyu Sightseeing Service Centre at the Shinjuku Station to purchase tickets for the Odakyu Express "Romancecar" train and the Hakone Free Pass for our trip to Hakone. Then we took the JR Yamamote Line back to Hamamatsucho Station and caught the shuttle bus back to our premier hotel for a good rest. That gave me an opportunity to soak in the relaxing bath.
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| Hakone Sightseeing Cruise |
On the fifth day, we were up with the lark to catch the iconic “Romancecar” to Hakone-Yumoto. We walked to Hamamatsucho Station at 6.30am and reached Shinjuku Station in time for our train was at 7.27am. We had our breakfast in the train since the train journey was one and a half hour. On arrival, we quickly looked for the Hakone Tozan Bus. The bus stand was a stone’s throw away from the train station. To our astonishment, there was already a long queue at the bus stand. When the bus finally arrived, we squeezed in but couldn’t get seat. Fortunately, I was standing near to a pleasant-looking old lady and she allowed me to sit on her armrest. Eventually, we arrived at Motohakone-ko (a pier). After alighting from the bus, we dashed to the place for the Hakone Sightseeing Cruise. Our Hakone Free Pass allowed us to travel on different types of transportation in Hakone.
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| Owakudani on Mount Hakone |
We sailed on Lake Ashi, which was formed in the caldera of Mount Hakone when it last erupted 3,000 years ago. The scenery was utterly magnificent with some intriguing thing like the “torii” gate. I was told there are little museums and historic sites located by the lake shore. However, the weather was too foggy to catch a view of Mount Fuji. Soon we arrived at Togendai-ko Station, located right at the other side of the lake. From the station, we legged it to take a ride on the Hakone Ropeway (like cable car) to Owakudani. To my disappointment, most of the scenery was hidden in an ascent of bare trees and brown grassy ground. When we arrived at Owakudani the scenery was different. I could see lots of steam rising from the volcanic ground. Owakudani is the area around a crater created during the last eruption of Mount Hakone some 3000 years ago. We walked up the steps leading to a volcanic zone with rather putrid smells of rotten eggs. At the steam vent area, I saw a man dipping a cage of eggs into a bubbling hot pool. When the eggs are cooked, the shells turn black due to reaction to the mineral elements of the hot springs. A Japanese belief is that if a person eats a black egg, his or her life will be increased by 7 years.
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| Hakone Tozan Train |
After descending from the hot springs, we rode on the Ropeway again to travel to Sounzan Station. The scenery was clouded by fog, as the ropeway was very near to the Owakudani volcano. From Sounzan Station, we took the Hakone Tozan Cable Car to Gora, where we visited the Gora Park. It was small but beautiful - it really goes to show that good things come in small packages. The park was built in 1914 and it was the first French-style garden in Japan. The park has a magnificent fountain and a rose garden. There were also hordes of cherry blossom trees, which was great for those who were on a cherry blossom hunt like us. I even visited the greenhouse in the park where I saw familiar flowers and plants which can be found in Malaysia. From Gora Station, we took the Hakone Tozan Train back to Hakone-Yumoto. I was fortunate to have a seat and take a short nap while my pitiful parents had to stand for 40 minutes. On arrival at Hakone-Yumoto, we still had 1 hour to wonder around the town before catching the “Romancecar” back to Shinjuku Station. I was very pleased that I had the opportunity to experience many things in Hakone.
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| Rainbow Bridge and Statue of Liberty |
Our last destination in Tokyo was Odaiba, which is a popular shopping and entertainment district on a man-made island in the Tokyo Bay. We walked to Akabanebashi Station (not too far from our hotel) to take Toei Oedo Line to Shiodome Station. From there, we changed to the renowned Yurikamome, an automated and elevated train which connects Shimbashi Station with Odaiba. The train crosses the Rainbow Bridge and offers stunning view of the Tokyo waterfront. We alighted from the iconic train at Daiba Station and went up to the great sightseeing balcony of the Decks Tokyo Beach shopping mall. We took marvellous photo shots of the Rainbow Bridge and a replica of the Statue of Liberty in Tokyo. We also strolled on the man-made beach.
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| Gigantic Statue of Transformer at Diver City Tokyo Plaza |
After that, we walked towards Palette Town and on our way we stopped at the Fuji TV Building. Palette Town is a large shopping complex housing the Toyota MegaWeb and the Venus Fort Mall. I was so excited to visit Toyota MegaWeb that I had to cool my heels for a few minutes because it only opened at 11.00am. When the entrance door was finally opened, everyone charged in like Vikings for battle. I couldn’t believe my eyes, the place was full of the latest models of Toyota cars. My mum took photos of me sitting in the driver’s seat of almost all models. Some of the models are only available in Japan. We even watched a 3D show called “Buckle Up” in the Mega Theatre, which highlights the importance of wearing seatbelts. After lunch, we visited the History Garage, showcasing classic vintage cars dating back to the 1950s and from all over the world from BMW to Deloreans and Nissan. I was truly amazed to see so many new and classic cars on one day. After leaving Toyota MegaWeb, we headed towards Diver City Tokyo Plaza where we saw a gigantic statue of Transformer. To our astonishment and excitement, we also saw a carpet of tulips in various colours - not in Amsterdam, but in Tokyo!
On the last day, we had to wake up early to catch the airport limousine bus at 6.54am to Narita International Airport for our flight back to Malaysia. I left Tokyo with a heavy heart but soon realised that not all good things last forever. I love Tokyo very much - it is full of interesting places to visit, the transportation is so efficient and the people there are so courteous. The diet is rather healthy, that’s why many Japanese live up to ripe old ages. I vow to come back to Tokyo again 5 years later.
Written by:
Koh Chee Yuan
Written by:
Koh Chee Yuan
